[Tutorial] How to export AAF from Davinci Resolve

Hi Folks,

so I figured out how to get audio out of davinci resolve with volumes and pans and all the channels and all that jazz. It is a little bit long, but bear with me. It’s definitely worth it if you think DaVinci is one of the best NLEs out there (regarding database management and advanced editing features. Ah, Oh, and don’t forget it’s for free..)

So the problems i found, the solutions I have tried and how not finding one made me feel anxious and stupid for having chosen such a new software to edit an entire TV series are these:

1.- Synced audio won’t go anywhere out of davinci. I Had worked with X2Pro before to get audio out of davinci and make an aaf (this is what made me say Yes to use the software on the first place) the thing is that after sending the turnover to the mixer, he told me that some of the audio was missing and also that what he got from the aaf was the original camera audio but not the externally recorded one. Here I is where the crisis begin. With a tight deadline and completely reliant on the X2PRO this became a huge problem. I tried again and again getting of course the same results. The problem was that I had the audios synced with the external recorded audio, so how was it possible that it wouldn’t go through the xml and on to the aaf?? Well it did not. And then I started to panic. Tried everything.. and the solution I found was:

2.- Round-trip to avid with no video (I also tried all the roundtripping but trust me, none of them work with audio). Then I imported this AAF into premiere and got an OMF out of it.. only to find out that it imports all sorts of nested clips onto the timeline and that you can’t have handles. Also.. forget any pan, dissolve or volume information.. So.. it seemed like a very poor solution to such a problem.

3.- Then I tried with the audio only module on wave format.. but never I never could reconnect to those WAV inside davinci.. so the information I got out of the software was worthless. The XML/AAF/FCPXML/EDL (I tried all those) would either always reconnect with the source media (the audios from the camera, of course), OR import the media but not sound, OR get all the audios mixed up and not matching the original edit I did..

4.- So after all this poor crisis management I went for a lunch, cleared up my head and thought: DaVinci works best with reel names and timecode.. so if I get those files to have a reel name and timecode.. it might just work. And so that’s what I did. The only problem was that the wave files are not good at retaining embedded metadata.. so I chose ‘quicktime’ on the only audio export. And then exported an xml, import it on a new project.. and kaboom. I had all my cuts with all the volume info and dissolves linked to the new audio files (which, by the way are not in any way changed from the original, no change on the audio is burnt in the render, even though you blow up the volume, it’s like you only do a transcode, all the changes happen in the timeline after you impor them. The original audios and the rendered ones are the same. Same tracks, she channels.. only that now they’re wrapped on a Quicktime). I was bursting on happiness.

And so much I was that I decided to write a tutorial for you guys to explain how to get synced audio on davinci out to protools, audition or logic pro x. Sit down and bear with me.l

—

Tutorial:

1. On the Resolve options. Under the ‘Conform options’ menu make sure you have the option ‘Assist using reel names' ticked as well as ‘source clip filename’.
2. Render Audio Only, individual source clips, with source filenames and unique filenames using prefixes of the entire timeline. BUT here’s the trick. Render out QUICKTIMES (the reel name will get burnt onto the file). Also make sure you have the Channel option set as ‘same as source’ and tracks ‘one per channel’ under the Audio tab in the delivery page.
2.5 If you want to add handles this is the step. Go to the video tab on the delivery page and say how many handles you want/need.
3. Clean your timeline off of dissolves. For future edits avoid them as much as possible. Or get an editorial assistant that does this for you.
4. Export an FCPXML (any version) from that timeline. Before doing this check that step 1 is still as it was when you did it.
5. Create a new project. Set it like you set the other one (follow step 1 again with this new project)
6. Import the fcpxml of timeline 1 in this clean project. Select ‘Automatically import media to the media pool’ and ‘ignore extensions when matching’.
7. Your have a timeline now with the audio as it was from the camera recorder, conformed with your edit, trims, volumes, pans and **** like that.
8. Check this timeline against a qt reference. Make sure everything is fine. Some things might go off sync. Those are the least. If you did make some changes, then export a new FCPXML. If you didn’t, jump to step 11.
9. If you made changes to timeline 1 on the project you just opened, then export a new FCPXML and open a new project. Also make sure it is set up as step 1 describes.
10. In the new project, import the timeline 2 xml. Using the same parameters as described in step 6.
11. Open a new sequence. in this newly opened project. Copy the audio tracks from the previos timeline you imported. Paste them onto the new sequence.
12. Export a new FCPXML of this timeline.
13. Import it to FCPx. Embrace the charming feeling of having all your externally recorded audio clips with the ins and outs and volumes and dissolves that you made on your editing. (they are not exact though, but is fair enough).
14. Export an FCPXML from this timeline now on fcpx. Remember to set ‘audio’ on the ‘metadata view’ that pops up on the xml export menu.

Then what follows really depends on your audio mastering suite.

- If Pro Logic X you’re on luck. No extra investment needed. Just import this fresh fcpxml into LPX and start mixing (remember to set all tracks on Touch mode in order to get the audio changes you made).

- If ProTools you will need this beautiful piece of software called X2Pro Audio Convert. It will translate the FCPXML to an AAF. The only thing it won’t transfer are the retimes. And the mixer can live with that. Also remember you set the handles way back in the workflow.

- If audition, you can just skip from step 8, and just export an xml of the timeline and import it right on to audition. (I haven’t tried this one but will soon).

And end of the story.

In any case, it might sound complicated but it really is not. Even though they are way too many extra steps to something that should be a button I think the experience to edit on resolve is worth it, but next time someone tells you davinci is not able to do professional audio turnovers shut their face with this tutorial.

With much love.

PS: Blackmagic please, make this post outdated soon.

Juan.

WOW !!!!

Thanks for figuring this out man. Was struggling with getting embedded in mov files but edited in Resolve multichannel audio to survive the trip to Reaper and other Daws. The Resolve fcpxml and aaf export also are not tagged correctly for multichannel audio , so was a lot of cleanup needed in target apps
But this trick takes care of it as Resolve , who does understand its own structure, does the separation into single files with single channels that all these conversion tools understand. I feed this fcpxml into Vordio and get a clean , color coded layout in Reaper and no cleanup needed on the same test project that failed on any other method using any other conversion tool.

Thanx 1000000000x

p.s. Which version of Resolve did you use this ?
Asking because (and i did see this before with other workflows) , in latest DR14.0.1 there are no pans, fades or volumes maintained in the resulting fcpxml. I can live with that as 1000% improvement of old workflow, but just checking if i missed anything. Used all available fcpxml versions to test but no diff.
(btw now using premiere xml instead as in my workflow to Reaper as better maintains track layout , but all else the same)

Hi Glenn,

I'm glad you found it useful. It was indeed crazy that there was not a single one straight forward solution to the problem.

Hmm.. I used Davinci Resolve 12.5.6
I had also troubles making all these pans and keyframes appear on logic pro as well.. I just turned the Automation mode in logic pro x to Touch. Then I had all those changes. I still don't have a clue of how or why it works this way.. but it does.

Try with the FCPXML and then use a software to translate from that FCPX to normal XML.
The thing is the XML is not saving all that valuable information.. God knows why since it should..

If not.. there is a free downloadable version of 12.5.6 on the support page with which you can test!

Regards,

Juan

the export to pro tools, which happens all the time when a project is finished, is my worst nightmare and each time I have to invent a way to save my life. I usually export to premiere, davinci exports all the file on the timeline and an xml that you can open on Premiere, then you can export and omf or an aaf.
But it's not always that simple! I mean you can lost files , informations etc. and get a real bad headache!
Anyway i want to try to edit my movies on davinci (with is nice) but i'm ready to pay to have the possibility to go to protools without any fear. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE add the possibility to export AAF with original file with the real names!

N.B. Export to protools in davinci doesn't work since it recreate mxf without handles, and sound editors say just NO to this .

@Juan,

Yeah, thats what ithought as i have been working with Resolve since 11 and in 12 i was able to get via some conversion tools via one way the automation and another the clip data (i posted several threads here on different workflows from Resolve to Protools via dozens of ways via multiple tools). And every time i had to adapt it, as some part , either in resolve or the other tools, broke something. Also because as i was using ProTools 10 , which made it harder as Resolves 12 AAF's started to only work with PT 12 even when washed by these tools. Had to wash it via PT12 to get it in PT10. Dropped PT in the end for Reaper now and very happy , which i should have done earlier.
I also had constant contact and did extensive tests with the developers of these conversion tools to keep chasing this ever breaking Resolve workflow.

But in Resolve 14 , likely due to the completely new audio engine that has been integrated and still beeing integrated it parts, it seems that Resolve is not putting this data anymore / yet in the xml's as even when importing the same fcpxml or AAF generated by Resolve you have no pan and fades. Maybe that is still on the todo list of BM.

Anyway, would be nice if someday they export this data again properly , but in the mean time i am happy that at least i get all the cuts and multichan audio properly in my target DAW's
So again thanks for this workflow , which was one i had overlooked and dismissed due to a failed early test.

Must admit though that it becomes less and less of an issue as Fairlight matures very fast and the cases where i finish directly in resolve are increasing. It more in the sound design area where i have to use external daws with vsti and midi.
Resolve as Rewire master would be the ultimate thing....

@pierolass

Thats why I was doing crazy. Going to premiere is not an optuon since you cant have handles. If you can give It a try to this guide. It Will fix most of The problems.

Juan

Hi,
Using Resolve 14.0, i managed to export an AAF into protools with 125fr handles. It didnt contain levels and pans, which is a pain, but it did work.

I use the AAF to Avid setting, kept the video ticked until after i selected the handle length, then un-ticked video.

According to the dubbing guy it generally worked fine.

cheers
nick

@NickPrice

Sure! That works.. as long as your sound designer guy is ok with that.. And if he's on pro tools!
More importantly I would say is to configure the audio part of that export, say 'channels' and 'tracks', they all shold be same as source and one per channel..

But yeah! Also that is if your sound design guy is on the latest version of protools..
I personally haven't got that to work (only unticking the video export), and also since my sound guy is on pro logic x i had to find another way.

Anyways, very frustrating hehe.
Give a try to this workflow if you'd like to preserve your data.

For everybody in this threat.. I think is good to remind ou that you can downgrade a drp and then do the export with levels and pans from the 12.5.6 version. You can download this version from the appstore and have both versions installed (or viceversa depending on what's your davinci source app)

Regards!

J

Juan, thank you so much!!! That is Herculean work on your part. MUCH appreciated!!!

Hi Juan, I tried to do as you said but I when I import the fcpxml into a new resolve project it's already messed up. I did everything as you said except removing all fades. Btw when you say fades, do you mean the transition effect or the little tab you can pull off on the end of each clip?

Thanks in advance

Very nice.

Hi,

I just spent 3 days trying to export a project with 'synced and appended external audio' to ProTools. Probably got some extra grey hair along the way. Of course none of the AAF files opened on ProTools, all the audio post saw was an empty project. And the XML, of course, contained only multiple copies of the pilot track on the camera.

I tried your tutorial and got stuck at point 6 - the mov files didn't replace the mxf, I had media offline across all tracks.

But I figured another way and I'll share it below, maybe it will spare someone the struggle:

1. Clean your sequence (no dissolves etc)
2. Export Avid AAF with no video and the amount of handle frames you want (they can be adjusted on the video page even if you're not exporting video)
3. Re-import that AAF into a new project in Resolve. Add some prerendered video preview for checking sync.
4. Swear a lot, as the AAF you just exported from Resolve and imported back to it has a metric ton of errors - various tracks going out of sync in various places - maybe that's why no civilzed software will open it...
5. Manually re-sync the tracks (took me over an hour for a 50min timeline) - that's where the prerendered video preview comes in handy
6. Export XML
7. Open XML in Premiere Pro
8. Export a proper OMF that ProTools reads.

Of course the automation still goes to hell, but at least I managed to get the project to the sound post at all...

Dear Resolve developers,
If you are reading this. Please, take a brake from adding new features and fix the AAF export (and add OMF). And fix the bug which causes appended external audio to be misrepresented in XML files.

it's my main war with davinci resolve. I tried with the new davinci 16, but it is the same situation even if apparently this problem is addressed in the new version.
I can suggest that if you export for avid, with handles as you want, you can round trip with avid, move all the files in the folder (Avid MediaFiles/MXF/1), check for all the shifts, see what is not working then export an aaf link and with the same files generated with resolve export to avid(all mxf files) you can open a session in pro tools even with not the latest version. Sadly you don't have any metadata from the original audio files. And if you have to deal with a professional work it's a huge problem to face.